The present invention is directed to a technique for quickly and conveniently exposing and removing coins from a wrapped roll of coins and, more particularly, to a device specifically adapted for slicing, piercing or scoring the coin wrapper to facilitate opening of the coin wrapper and removal of the coins therefrom. The devices of the present invention will be designated "coin roll openers" or merely "openers" throughout this specification and claims for convenience.
It is common practice for banks and businesses to utilize coin wrappers. The wrappers are manufactured of either paper or plastic, and in certain lengths and diameters so as to accommodate a given number of a particular coin denomination. For example, a penny wrapper is sized to have fifty pennies fitted into it. Other specially sized wrappers are available for nickels, dimes and quarters, for example. Once the coins are inserted into the wrapper, the ends of the wrapper are closed or otherwise turned under or reduced in size to insure that the contents do not spill out during handling.
In use, the wrapped rolls of coins are distributed to cashiers who must, as a matter of course, make change to customers. When the cashier runs out of a certain coin denomination, a roll of that coin denomination is opened and its contents spilled into the cash register for ready availability. How the wrapper is opened by the cashier forms the subject of the present invention.
When a cashier needs to open a wrapped roll of coins, normally it will be firmly grasped and sharply banged against an edge, typically an edge of the cash register or cashier box or a sharp edge in the money drawer. As a result of this blow to the roll of coins, the wrapper is at least partly split so that its contents can be spilled out. Although this procedure is effective, it also is problematic for both the cashier and the cash register or cashier's box. Specifically, the blow delivered to the wrapped roll of coins can result in injury to the cashier's hands from accidentally banging the fingers along with the roll against the hard, sharp edge. Also, since the cashier may need to open quite a large number of such rolls during the course of a business day, the repetition of shocks to the hands can result in injury over a long period of time. As far as the cash register, cashier's box or money drawer is concerned, these have become less sturdy and more complicated. Metal has been replaced by plastic. The latter may not be capable of withstanding over the course of time multiple repeated blows delivered by a very hard object such as a roll of metal coins. Very often the cash register housing, the cash drawers and/or coin dividers in the cash drawers are physically damaged from impact of the coin rolls. Furthermore, electronics have replaced mechanical and electromechanical elements in cash registers to perform calculations and various other sensing and data processing functions. When a coin roll is banged against any part of the cash register, shock waves travel throughout to all of its components. Such shocks may cause damage to the electronics and other shock-sensitive components of the cash register. As a direct result, excessive service calls and repairs are required to reduce cash register down time.